ZOLL Medical Corporation (NasdaqGS: ZOLL), a manufacturer of medical devices and related software solutions, announced today that Saint Barnabas Medical Center, one of the largest non-profit, non-sectarian hospitals in New Jersey, has installed the AutoPulse® Non-Invasive Cardiac Support Pump for resuscitative capabilities in the hospital's emergency department.
The AutoPulse is the only automated chest compression device that uses an easy-to-use, load-distributing LifeBand® to squeeze the entire chest in a truly uninterrupted "hands-free" manner even during transport of the patient from the ambulance to the operating room. As a result, victims receive more consistent, high-quality chest compressions than those delivered by other automated CPR devices, which means improved blood flow to the heart and brain during sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). Additionally, it offers the benefit of freeing up clinicians to focus on other life-saving interventions.
"At Saint Barnabas Medical Center, we see over 84,000 emergency department patients each year. The AutoPulse is extremely useful in Code Blue situations since it is easy to apply and fit to the patient. Most importantly, it can be used for substantial amounts of time to deliver steady, proper chest compressions without rescuer fatigue, something that cannot be achieved with manual CPR," states Christopher Freer, M.D., Chairman of Emergency Medicine, Saint Barnabas Medical Center.
"We're pleased that Saint Barnabas recognizes the value AutoPulse can provide in improving patient care and survival from sudden cardiac arrest. Being able to provide consistent, high-quality chest compressions during code situations, while freeing up clinical staff to attend to other critical needs, is vitally important, especially when every second counts," said Jonathan A. Rennert, President of ZOLL.
While two other hospitals and a number of EMS services in New Jersey use the device for resuscitation, the largest user in the state is the Port Authority of New Jersey and New York. Over 5,000 AutoPulse devices are in use in hospital and emergency service organizations worldwide.